


Learning how to Breathe

by Justme_iguess



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Alternate Universe, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Other, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-05-01 01:33:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14509584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justme_iguess/pseuds/Justme_iguess
Summary: Basically Juno and Peter met as teenagers.Me:writes this while trying to get over a hangover and hardly edits itAlso me:hates self but secretly likes it a lil bit.





	1. Chapter 1

Peter looks down at the boy a few yards away. He's wearing a dirty loose tank top, and pants that are too big for him, so it's tightened with safety pins. He has curly hair, and some white scars lining his dark body. He gave a bigger kid some snark earlier, so he might not be all that smart, but he sure can fight. He knows how to move his body, how to take punches. How to deflect and how to protect things most vital.

Judging from the scars, it looks like it comes from experience.

So Peter decides to help him, even if Mag will probably disapprove. He doesn't care. There's a person over there, who isn't gonna win this fight because of the fact that he said a few wrong words.

Maybe it's stupid, but the kid is also just straight up attractive, and why is that such a bad thing? He swoops in, dangles a knife in front of the guy, and rushes the kid to a safe alleyway.

"I didn't need your help." He spits at him.

"Here on Brahma we usually say thank you, but I suppose that will suffice." He peeks out a bit to see if any guards are close. "You could have gotten killed if any authorities saw you, what were you thinking?"

"Killed for being roughed up by another kid? You gotta be kidding me. This ain't exactly money central."

Peter gives him a flat stare. "You aren't from Brahma."

"Gee, man, I dunno, you tell me." He gives him a flat stare back, and Peter decides that he likes this kid.

"Well, there are laws here. Break any one of them, and you die. That includes disturbing the peace, which any officer could have used an excuse on you for, understand?"

"What's your name." He asks. He looks guarded and there's an underlying emotion of fear.

"Peter Nureyev."

"Juno Steel."

Juno Steel is pretty name. Three syllables, perfectly put together. Peter gives him a smile, and takes his hand. "I have a place you can stay for the night."

He wrinkles his nose, and tension rises to his shoulders. "Are you trying to hook up with me? 'Cause I'm really not in the-"

He cuts him off with a laugh. "No, of course not. I just thought you might need a place to stay."

The tension relieves itself a little. "Sounds good to me."

Juno falls asleep quickly. It's to be expected. He told him that he arrived on Brahma only a few hours before, and didn't even know what the planet was called. With a little mpre coaxing, he even told him that he came from Mars. Peter is a little shocked to hear that, since they're a galaxy away. Why was he running? Or rather, did he get into trouble?

"We have a visitor?" Mag says when he walks in, and sees Juno's curled body on the couch, Peter sitting next to him. "I wasn't aware that our home was a homeless shelter, Peter."

Peter stands up, and looks him in the eyes. He never asks for things. Not really. He's always followed directions, and trusted Mag. But he wants this. He doesn't want Juno to stay forever. Mostly because he doubts Juno even likes him, but he knows what it's like on the streets, and he'd rather stand up to Mag, then watch someone who doesn't even know what is going on be killed. "He doesn't have anywhere to go. He's from Mars, and he doesn't understand how any of this works. Just give me a day or two to teach him."

Mag smiles at him warmly. "Most families worry about a kid bringing home a stray, and maybe that's what you've got, but at least he's pretty. You can keep him here for as long as he needs, but he's your puppy, your problem, Peter."

A grin bigger than the martian suicide rate splits his face. 

He looks over at Juno again. His brow is crinkled, and his body looks tense. Must be a nightmare. Then he jerks a small bit, and mumbles "Mom" softly. 

"If he decides to stay longer, and he's got... Problems. I'll try to help." Mag adds with a look.


	2. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This au is a lot based on the au that @ernmark got and I swear I thought this was a good idea and I love u pls dont hate me.

The next day he gives Juno some food, and he eats it like he's starving. He also has no virtue of table manners, because he talks when he eats, and lets his elbows sit on the table.

 

With the way he looks, Peter wouldn't be surprised if he hadn't had an actual meal in quite a long time. "Juno," he says cautiously. "If you eat that fast, you're going to choke."

 

Just then, he does choke. He coughs for a little while, and regains his ability to speak. "I hadn't noticed." He says with a grin.

 

Mag snorts a little.

 

Juno looks at the food in front of him, though, looking a little angry at it. "You guys must have some money if you can afford matching porcelain cups and real vegetables." He looks like he's lost his appetite. His brow wrinkles. "I ain't mad, I'm just... I dunno."

 

Peter was mistaken. This kid is actually pretty smart. He feels a little as though he'd betrayed Juno. He knows that Juno comes from poverty, just from seeing the way he was dressed when they first met. Peter gets it, though. Before he met Mag, and lived on the streets he was angry at the passerby's that would walk past in fine clothes. He would sometimes hate himself a little more when they gave him necessities to survive. Not that he wasn't grateful, it just doesn't seem fair to see people having the stuff to spare, when you're barely getting by.

 

They make idle small talk throughout the rest of breakfast. Juno eats too much at once, and throws up in the toilet. Peter watches as he brushes his teeth. "We're thieves." Peter says. "You can be a thief with us if you want. Steal something valuable, and once we pawn it off, split the money. You can do whatever you want with it."

 

Juno looks shocked. Then he spits in the sink, and rinses off his toothbrush. "I thought you couldn't do anything illegal, because you'll get killed."

 

"Only if you get caught."

 

Juno laughs a little under his breath. "Sounds like a plan, then. I'll be a thief with you guys. Not like I got anything better to do." He wipes off his mouth.

 

Peter gets into his space a little bit, and runs a hand down his arm. He doesn't really think before he says: "Except maybe kissing me."

 

There's a small smile on his face. Mischevious, but missing something. He tilts his head upwards, and lifts to his toes. Peter presses a hand to the small of his back, and the back of his neck. He tastes like mint from the toothpaste. They tilt their heads to fit against each other. Peter hasn't kissed anyone in a long time. A few years. It's hard to date anyone while he and Mag move around so much.

 

Speak of the devil. A shriek of a whistle travels from the hallway into the bathroom.

 

When they pull away, their cheeks flushed, Mag is grinning. "Must you be so immature?"

 

Mag laughs. "I'm older than you, Peter. Ah, there are so many jokes I want to make."

 

Juno groans, and covers his blushing face. It's a little adorable.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Juno gets bored very easily, he realizes in the next few weeks. "So if we can't do anything illegal, then how do you have fun. It feels like every time I walk outside I'm doing something wrong." He rests his head against his arm, reading a book. He does that a lot. Peter has learned that Juno is actually really intelligent. When they stole things he was really good at planning.

 

"You _can_ do illegal things, but you have to be very discreet."

 

"Don't know if you've noticed, but I ain't very discreet, Nureyev." He says, flipping through the page. "Also this book is boring."

 

"I could show you the ropes on stealing." Peter offers.

 

Juno closes the book and sighs dramatically. " _Finally_ , something to do."

 

It's a lot harder to do than he thought it was going to be. Juno is very loud and abrasive. He says what he thinks, and he's used to dealing with the consequences. It seems like the consequences are a bit of self flagellation as well, but he won't get into it.

 

Instead, they make out most of the time in a narrow alleyway. They're grinding like two horny teenagers, which is exactly what they are, but Peter has some pride. Peter breathes against his lips, "Juno." He isn't certain what he's doing, but this all feels right and good.

 

Juno moves his mouth like he's certain. Grinds his hips against Peter like he knows exactly what he's doing, and had done it before. Peter feels a burst of confidence, and pushes a hand under Juno's shirt. When Juno pulls him closer, he gains some more confidence, and edges closer to his waistband.

 

Juno automatically pushes him away. "No. I can't. Not right now, there's just too much stuff."

 

Nods, feeling pretty guilty, he says: "I apologize, Juno." He says, a little nervous, but he masks it with calm in his voice. "I have never done anything like this, and so I'm going to need you to walk me through it if you can."

 

He runs his hands through his hair. "Yeah, no problem. Just nothing really... None of that for now. It's just too soon. Body stuff just doesn't feel right. It will again, I just gotta have some time." He breathes in through his nose, out through his mouth. Then he looks up at him, confused. "You're a virgin? You're like 17."

 

"Is that a bad thing?" Peter asks, feeling defensive.

 

Juno laughs a little bit. "No, that's not it. Im just surprised. I lost my virginity at like 12. Mostly because I-" he swallows and bites the inside of his cheek. Multiple scenarios run through Peter's mind. He isn't an idiot. He knows that sometimes people in poverty sell their bodies for food or family. "You're just attractive, and so I just sorta assumed. Have you ever kissed anyone else?"

 

Peter nods. "A few. Nothing that would merit any relevance, but yes." It's a weight off of his shoulders. There's a lot of stress in being someone's first kiss. He lets out a breath of relief. He analyzes Juno. He hasn't had an easy life. He can see that in his cadence of scars. The way he flinches when something too loud happens too fast. The way he backs away when Mag got a bit angry at him. Overly scared, because he thought he was going to hit him. Saying simply 'I'm used to getting yelled at.' He's had a hard life, and it hurts to know that.

 

"You're staring." Juno says, looking uncomfortable. "Did I do something wrong?"

 

He mentally shakes himself. "No, I was just wondering if you wanted to tell me about your life before you came to Brahma."

 

"I told you I came from Mars and then I hopped from planet to planet."

 

Peter gives him a look. "Yes, but you've neglected any information about Mars."

 

He stiffens a little against the wall. "I.. Had a family. I had a mom, and a brother, a twin." He looks like he wants to hit something. That plump lip is bitten, and he stares angrily at the ground. "They're both-" he takes a sharp breath. "Gone. They're gone. It was really messy. So I got out of there, and now I'm here."

 

Peter swallows.

 

"Don't." Juno says. His big blue eyes staring up at him with an intensitity he can't refuse.

 

"What?"

 

"Don't look at me like I'm a fucking sob story." He sighs and crosses his arms. "Got that way too much back home. I'm done with it."

 

Peter sighs. "I won't. I'm sorry." He changes the subject. "What did you want to be when you grew up?"

 

"A cop." He almost mumbles it shamefully. "I wanted to be a good cop in a sea of bad cops."

 

He takes Juno's hand, and laces their fingers together. "That sounds admirable. I'm going to have everyone in the universe know my name. I'm going to make the evil fear me, and the good to sing my praises." He's excited for it. He can't wait for the world to know his name.

 

Juno laughs again. "I can look forward to a future like that. But we're here in the present. I know what I wanna do."

 

And he kisses him until their lips go numb.


End file.
